It’s in our nature to evolve, yet so many of us stay stuck in our careers. We dream of making a change but are too afraid to do things differently. These public figures have reinvented themselves and made an impact. Let them be your inspiration to fly out of your pigeonhole so you can be seen for the real you. Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel had a long standing reputation as an austere leader, reflective of her upbringing in Cold War German Democratic Republic…

Whether you want to be loved and accepted, respected and recognized or promoted and prized, these are my secrets to making your mark. On the eve of my company’s 23rd anniversary, I sat down and asked myself, “How did I get here?” The following is a short list of the...

Classic, irreverent, incisive, evocative – here are the most remarkable transformations of 2014 Taylor Swift – 2014 was a banner year for the “1989” creator – Swift officially shook off both country music and her reputation as a lovelorn early-twentysomething, and...

When a dream is finally realized, your inner judge may try to sabotage it. Here’s how I finally quieted the critical voices and just let go. “Mommy, you were amazing!” my teenage daughter exclaimed as she hugged my neck. It was the first time she’d seen me give a...

Strike your best deal and feel good about it! Here are tips from one of the country’s top negotiation experts. What are your salary requirements? What does the right package look like for you? Those questions can be tough to answer, especially if you’ve lost a big...

Ever get that empty feeling when you’ve worked intensely on something big and then it ends? During the first quarter of this year I worked on three major projects that had me zigzagging the country through the dead of winter to New York, LA, Chicago, Detroit, Houston,...

Fearless, irreverent, and purpose-driven — there’s a lot to learn from this year’s Big Fish Hall Of Fame inductees. Neil Patrick Harris Best known as the lovable wunderkind doctor of ‘90s television, Neil Patrick Harris has worked tirelessly to expand his sitcom...

Answering these questions will help you come back to yourself so you can finally move forward. Over the summer I had the privilege of spending a week in Atlanta, the city where I started my professional life. I thought about all the jobs I held there in my 20’s:...

Could playing small be what’s keeping you from winning big in business? Each time I sit down to watch an episode of Mad Men I’m drawn in by the power that Don Draper commands in a meeting. He knows that he’s got the right idea. His cocksure pitch blankets the client...

Why is that when we get what we want it can feel like a hollow victory? Maybe it’s because we didn’t really need it after all. A few weeks ago I made a list of what I needed and what I wanted in my life. This was soul-searching work. For so long I had operated from a...

Feeling self-conscious? Doubting your value? It may be time to throw yourself a party. I have been celebrating my birthday over the past couple of weeks. I attended intimate dinners and cocktail events that I arranged in my honor in Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Los...

Quality and customer service are no longer differentiators. Innovation is what creates a sustainable competitive advantage. I’m feeling like the word “marketing” should be retired. I know this may sound like blasphemy to most of you, but what I see driving success in...